Reversible wall box for recessed water cooler

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a recessed water cooler for installation in the wall of a building, with that portion of the box like cabinet structure that houses the refrigeration components such as the condenser and compressor being mounted in the assemblage for the water cooler in a manner so that it may be reversed and then either mounted flush with the back side of the remainder of the water cooler cabinet, or alternately, spacially displaced outwardly therefrom to permit the remainder of the water cooler to be recessed in a back wall.

United States Patent Scott I [451 Dec. 5, 1972 [54] REVERSIBLE WALL BOX FOR RECESSED WATER COOLER [72] Inventor: Eugene W. Scott, Columbus, Ohio [731- Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation,

' Pittsburgh, Pa.

[22] Filed: Feb. 26, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 119,147

[52] U.S. Cl. ..3l2/228, 312/198, 312/236,

312/242, 220/392 [51] Int. Cl. ...A47b 77/06, A47b 77/08, A47b 67/02 [58] Field of Search ..312/228, 229, 236443,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,744,187 1/1930 Webster "52/27 2,998,512 8/1961 Duchene et a1 ..220/3.92 X

3,220,791 11/1965 Pokryfke et a1. ..3 12/242 3,563,624

2/1971 Stice ..312/198 UX Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gilliam Attorney-F. H. Henson, E. C. Arnz and R. B. Farley [5 7 ABSTRACT The invention provides a recessed water cooler for installation in the wall of a building, with that portion of the box like cabinet structure that houses the refrigeration components such as the condenser and compressor being mounted in the assemblage for the water cooler in a manner so that it may be reversed and then either mounted flush with the back side of the remainder of the water cooler cabinet, or alternately, spacially displaced outwardly therefrom to permit the remainder of the water cooler to be recessed in a back wall.

6 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEDBEI: 5 m2 SHEEI 1 [IF 3 BOX FOR RECESSED WATER COOLER I BACKGROUND O THE INVENTION REVERSIBLE WALL 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to water cooler assemblies and, more specifically, relates to a. recessed .water cooler arrangement having a fountain for cold water required for attachment of the basin, fountain and any other element needed.

Commercially available recessed water cooler wall boxes now have one side open, with the water fountain and basin and ventilating grille for the refrigerator mechanism facing out to this open side. Thus, the grille through which air flows for the cooling of the refrigerator mechanism is visually seen disposed either above or below the fountain and basin so that'the wallof the building, inthis area, in interrupted not only by the fountain and basin arrangement but also bythe necessary ventilating grille. To eliminate this ventilating grille from the building wall, it has heretofore been necessary to construct, on the job site, some makeshift provision for remotely locating the I refrigeration mechanism so that it mightbe ventilatedfrom an area which does not open to the wall side where the fountain and basin are present. Some locations utilized for this remote mounting have been janitors closets, rest rooms, wet walls and shafts. I

However, both these arrangements suffer somewhat from a practical standpoint since the first provides-a grille which may be visually seen adjacent the fountain, while the second requires the use of high unit cost labor to provide a remotely located refrigeration mechanism. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a fully recessed water coolerarrangement in which the refrigeration containing portion of the water cooler cabinet could be reversed, if desired, so that the ventilating grille was not discernible from the room or ball in which the cooler was located. 'At the same time, this recessed water cooler cabinet could still be utilized without the refrigerator mechanism containing portion of the cabinet reversed so that the ventilating grille and fountain were located opening outwardly from the same wall, if this was desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The recessed water cooler of the instant invention provides a cabinetassembly comprising upper and lower box like cabinet portions, with the upper box like cabinet portion carrying a basin and fountain for the recessed water cooler and with the lower box like cabinet portioncontaining the refrigerating equipment necessary forthe cooling of water which is discharged from the fountain. Cooperative mounting means are disposed between these two open box like cabinet portions so that the lower cabinet portion, containing the refrigerator equipment, may be reversely mounted relative to the upper cabinet porti on so that a smooth wall surface could be provided directly below thefountain andbasin enclosure. Since the lower of the two cabinet like configurations is provided with a smaller depth, it may be aligned in this reversed relationship relativetothe upper cabinet portion with the ventilat ing grille in an aligned relationship relativeto the back side of the upper cabinet portion so as to provide clearance for firring in and the aforesaid resultant smooth wall surface. The lowercabinet portion, of course, may be mounted in non-reversed relationship with the face of the ventilating grille aligned with a front flange of the fountain and basin enclosure. Additionally, the cooperative mounting means disposed between the upper and lower cabinet portions cooperatively permitthe mounting of the lower cabinet portion in a reversed position with the grille face thereof displaced outwardly from the rear side of the upper cabinet portion so that it may be firred in so that only the ventilating grille is visually apparent from the reverse side of the recessed wateroooler.

DRAWING DESCRIPTION For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the preferred embodiment, exemplary of the invention, shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspectivevi'ew of the open box like configuration of the upper and lower cabinet portions, with the same being shown in a non-reversed position;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the upper. and lower box cabinet portions with their fountain and basin enclosure and refrigeration equipment in place;

FIG; 3 is a view of the recessed water cooler of FIG. 1 but showing both theventilating grille and fountain and basin enclosure in assembled relationship;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the recessed water cooler showing the lowercabinet portion in reversed position withthe face of the ventilating grille being aligned with the rear side of the upper cabinet portion; 7

FIG. 5 is a side view of the recessed water cooler with the lower cabinet portion in reversed condition and offset backwardly from the upper cabinet portion so as to permit the firring in of the rear side of the upper cabinet portion;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the nested upper and lower box like structure, as shipped;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the invention taken on line VII--VII of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the invention taken on line VIlI-VIII of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the invention taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring nowspecifically to FIG. 1, it can be seen that a recessed water cooler 10 constituting my invenso that the said sheet members include rear panels and 22, respectively, and side panels 24, 26 and 2 8, 30,

v respectively. Thus, a generally open configuration for each of the upper cabinet portions 12 and lower cabinet portions 14 is formed, primarily, from a single sheet member to provide an enclosure of relatively low cost.

The bent sheet members 16 and 18 are also formed to include peripherally extending flange portions 32, 32 and 34, 34 which extend along the front termination of the side panels for the upper and lower cabinet portions 12 and 14, respectively. These peripheral flanges extend for substantially the full length of the side panels and provide plaster stops so that the wall on which the recessed water cooler is mounted may be made flush with these flanges.

The configuration of the upper and lower portions 12 and 14 is completed generally by the addition of a top 36 attached to bent sheet member 16 of upper cabinet portion 12 at its upper end and a bottom 38 attached to bent sheet member 18 of lower cabinet portion 14 at its lower'end. Each of these members also include flange portions 40 and 42, respectively, to complete a facing flange that extends around the entire front periphery of the recessed water cooler 10, with flange 40 providing a plaster stop while the flange 42 provides a mounting means for the grille to be described later. The top and bottom 36 and 38 may be attached by any conventional means to the bent sheet members 16- and 18 such as by spot welding or the like (not shown), with outwardly disposed bent portions 41, 41 of bent sheet member 16 providing an area for spot welding and also general reinforcement for upper cabinet portion 12 and outwardly disposed, bent portion 43 providing the same for lower cabinet portion 14.

To provide a dividing and reinforcing means adjacent the junction of the upper and lower cabinet portions 12 and 14, a cross brace 44 of U-shaped crosssection is attached to the upper cabinet portion 12 adjacent its front lower portion and extends between the sides 24 and 26 and is attached to them by spot welding or the like (not shown). A bracket 46 of substantially right angle configuration is provided at the lower rear of the upper cabinet portion 12, with this member also extending between the sides 24 and 26 and being attached to rear panel 20 by screws (not shown) so as to be easily removable for a purpose to be described later. The fronts of the upper and lower cabinet portions 12 and 14 are thereby provided in a substantially open condition, the advantages of which will become apparent.

The initial formation of the cabinet portions 12 and 14 also includes a terminal box 48 fastened to the upper right hand corner of lower cabinet portion 14 by any conventional fastening means (not shown) to provide for the reception of the electrical connections (not shown) required to be made for recessed water cooler 10. In this regard, it should also be noted that upper cabinet portion 12 contains a cut-out 50 of generally rectangular configuration, disposed in its upper right hand corner. This cut-out permits the reception and storage of upper cabinet portion 12 within lower cabinet portion 14 for shipping purposes, with the cutout 50 providing clearance for the terminal box 48 (FIG. 6) and complete nesting of cabinet portions 12, 14.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 2, the recessed water cooler 10 is shown as including a basin 52 that mounts a fountain 54 and refrigerating equipment 56, including the requisite compressor, condenser and evaporator for cooling the water provided for fountain 54. The basin 52 and included fountain 54 are nested within the upper cabinet portion 12, with the basin 52 being formed by drawing or the like into a single rectangular prismatic recess 58, including back wall 60, side walls 62 and 64 and top and bottom walls 66 and 68. This basin may be conveniently formed from a stainless steel or a bronzed stainless steel material to resist corrosion and provide a pleasing and attractive appearance to the user of the recessed water cooler 10.

In order to provide ventilation for refrigerating equipment 56, it is conventionally covered by a ventilating grille (FIG. 3), mounted on lower cabinet portion 14 and dimensioned so as to completely cover the front side of this cabinet portion and including a series of spaced louvers 72 through which air for cooling of the refrigerating equipment 56 may pass. The mounting arrangement for the basin 52 and grille 70 to the upper and lower cabinet portions 12, 14 is best seen in FIGS. 7-9; The upper portion of the basin 52 includes a rim portion 57 (FIG. 7) that extends around the top, bottom and sides of the periphery of the basin 52. A substantially sharp edge 59 is formed along the inside of the top of rimportion 57 and at the juncture forming this edge, a pair of mounting brackets 61 (only one shown) are disposed laterally spaced relative to the width of the basin 52. Each bracket 61 includes a sharp right-angle corner 63 for conveniently interfitting with the rim portions juncture forming sharp edge 59. Bracket 61 also includes an angularly extending portion 65 which functions somewhat as a wedg ing tine when the basin 52 is mounted on cabinet portion 12.

Cabinet portion 12 also includes, attached to the inside of its top 36, a pair of mounting brackets 67, 67 (FIGS. 6 and 7) that are spaced laterally from each other so as to confront the spaced mounting brackets 61. Mounting brackets 67 include a right-angle portion 69 that provides a horizontally extending leg 71 and a downwardly depending, spacing leg 73 which locates an integral angularly extending leg 75 so as to confront and support the angularlyextending portion 65 of mounting bracket 61. It should now be clear that the mounting brackets 67 provide substantially V shaped, spaced notches which receive the angularly extending portions 65 of mounting brackets 61 and that this manner of structural reception insures, with proper bracket spacing, that the basin 52 moves into tight abutting engagement with the wall in which the recessed water cooler 10 is mounted.

Turning now to FIG. 8, the mounting of the lower portion of basin 52 to upper cabinet portion 12 is accomplished by the use of a pair of adjustable clamping means 77 which are mounted on the back side of the basin 52 on the rim portion 57. Each clamping means 77 includes a supporting member 79 having U shape in cross-section with a leg 81 of the U being elongated and including an inturned end so that the leg 81 conforms closely to the rim portion 57 to which it is attached. The other leg 83 of the supporting member 79 includes a bore extending therethrough in which is disposed a threaded bolt 85. A nut 87 is resiliently mounted on the leg 83 so that bolt 85 which extends therethrough is threadedly retained in inserted position through the borein leg 83. Thelbightprovided by the laterally spacing of legs 81 and 83 is of a sufficient dimension that the U shaped cross brace 44 of the upper cabinet 12 is received within this bight. By this arrangement, then, the basin 52 may be attached to the cross brace 44, with the cross brace 44 received within the confines of the supporting member 79. The threadedcolt 85 may then be tightened and the basin 52 will conform, at its .lower edge, closely to upper cabinet portion 12.

The grille 70 is mounted at its upper extent to the I lower cabinet portion 14 (FIG. 9) in a manner having some similarity to that employed for the mounting of the upper portion of the basin 52. More specifically, grille 70 includes mounted on its back sidean angularly extending brace 89 which also extends linearly for substantially the entire width of the grill'70. A pair of short right angle members 91, 91 (only one shown) are mounted on the sides 28 and 30 of the lower cabinet portion 14 near its upper end. Each of these right angle members is disposed'angularly, relative to its respective side so that alaterally extending leg 93 of each engages in front of the angularly extending brace 89 to maintain the grille 70, at its upper end, in close engagement with the lower cabinet portion 14. The assembly of the grille 70 to the lower cabinet portion 14 iscompleted by the use of screws 74 that extend through it and the flange 42 of the lower cabinet portion 14. 1

In so far as related, a recessed water cooler has been described which provides a basin and included water fountain that is in parallel relation with a louvered grille, with both of thesemembers opening outwardly from a common building wall. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the lower box cabinet portion 14 can be reversed relative to the upper cabinetportion 12 to provide-the grille member 70 on an opposite side of recessed water cooler 10. In the configuration shown in FIG. 4, it can be seen that the grille 70 is arranged parallel to a rear face 75 of the rear panel of upper cabinet portion 12. Since the lower cabinet portion 14 has a depth which is less than the depth of the upper cabinet portion l2,,thismounti'ng arrangement provides an offset between from peripheral edgetof basin 52 and a forwardly disposed face .71 of rear panel ,22 of lower cabinet portion 14. Thus, this face may be covered and firred in by a portion 76 of the wall of the building to provide a building wall extending completely around and flush with the peripheralflange of the basin 52 of recessed water cooler 10. Then, from an appearance standpoint, only the streamlined basin 52 and included water fountain 54-are discernible from the front of the building wall including wall portion 76.

In order to accomplish this particular mounting of lower cabinetportion 14 in offset reversed relation relative to upper cabinet portion 12, a series of mounting means comprising spaced pierced holes 78, 80, 82, and 84 are provided on the lower portion of each side of upper cabinet portion 12, while a pairof spaced pierced holes 90 and 92 are provided on-the upper portion of each side of lower cabinetportion 14. Selfthreading screw means 94, 94 may then be inserted in pierced h0les90 and 92 and then also inserted through two of the pierced holes formed in the upper cabinet portion 12 to mount the lower cabinet portion thereto.

For the reversed,'front offset relation referred to, selfthreading screw means 94,- 94 are screwingly inserted in pierced holes78 and 82, formed in upper cabinet portion 12.

The bracket 46, in this mounting arrangement of the upper and lower cabinet portions, isrlocated in the same position that this bracket occupies in the first mounting arrangement and thereby serves as a reinforcing means for the recessed water cooler 10.

In order to arrive at the mounting of the upper and lower cabinet portions illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 the self-threading screw means 94, 94 are inserted through the pierced holes 90 and 92 in the lower cabinet portion l4 and corresponding pierced holes 78 and 82 in upper cabinet portion 12 with the lower cabinet portion 14. reversed relative to it as illustrated in FIG. 4. This places the peripheral flange of the ventilating grille and the peripheral flangeof the basin 52 in parallel so that both provide a fairly desirable appearance to individuals passing close by or utilizing the recessed water cooler 10. v l

FIG. 5 illustrates the third manner of mounting the recessed water cooler 10. In this particular configuration, pierced holes 80 and 84 of upper cabinet portion 12 are utilized and mated with pierced holes 90 and 92 for the reception of self-threading screw means 94 94 so that the lower cabinet portion 14 receives a different spacing. This arrangement places the venting grille side of lower cabinet portion 14 inan outwardly jutting position relative to the rear face of upper cabinet portion 12. Thus, 'thelower cabinet portion 14 is spacially displaced rearwardly behind the wall portion 76.

tion 12 can also be firred in by means of a wall portion 96 so that only theventilating grille 70 is discernible from the rear side of the recessed water cooler 10, thus providing a somewhat more attractive appearance to this side of the recessed water cooler. W

The bracket 46, in this mounting arrangement, is moved and reinforces and closes off the space formed by the rearwardly offset upper cabinet portion. 7

From the foregoing description, it should be clear that the series of pierced holes 78 and 82 and and 84 formed in the upper cabinet portion 12 provide alternate series of mounting means for the mounting of the lower cabinet portion 14 and that these alternate mounting means permit the lower cabinet portion 14 to be reversed and. set off relative to the basin 52 and to be reversed relative to the basin 52 and set off from the upper cabinet portion 12 to permit firring in of it at its rearward side. This novel arrangement, therefore, provides all the advantages suggested for it at the beginning portion of the description.

Further, it should be clear to one skilled in the. art thatmany modifications can be made to the invention described that would still fall within its spirit and scope. What is claimed is: 1. A water cooler and wall box construction therefor comprising:

first and second generally right parallelepiped shaped boxes, each having one generally open face in the plane of one of the vertical sides of the box; a ventilating grille adapted to be installed on the open face of said second box;

said first box being dimensioned to contain a recessed drinking water fountain basin having an open face for access;

said second box being dimensioned to contain refrigerating system for said water cooler;

means for securing said boxes in stacked relation, in one disposition with their open faces generally aligned, and in a reversed disposition with their open faces on opposite sides, so that said ventilat- O ing grille may be installed, in accordance with the particular arrangement to be attained, on the same side as said access to the basin or on the opposite side. 2. A construction according to claim 1 wherein: one of said boxes is of greater width than the other so that said other box can be accommodated therein in generally nested relation for shipping and handling. I 3. A construction according to claim 1 wherein: said means for securing said boxes includes a series of apertures for fasteners in the lower marginal edge portion of said first box, and in the upper marginal edge portion of said second box; said series of apertures being arranged so that some are in registry with each other both when said boxes are in said one disposition, and when said boxes are in said reversed disposition. 4. A construction according to claim 3 wherein: said second box is of lesser depth from front-to-rear than said first box so that when said second box is in said reversed disposition with said second box open face aligned with the side of said first box opposite'said first box open face, the side of said second box opposite its open face is offset inwardly into the building wall relative to the open face of said first box. 5. A construction according to claim 4 wherein: said series of apertures includes four apertures in said marginal portion of each of the sides of one of edge portion of each of the sides of the other of said boxes, said apertures being arranged so that two of said apertures are in registry on each side in each of three alternate positions of said boxes, viz, when the open faces of said boxes are aligned, when the open face of the second box is aligned with the side opposite the open face of said first box, and when the open face of said second box is offset outwardly beyond the side of first box opposite the open face of the first box.

6. A water cooler and wall box construction therefor comprising:

first and second generally right parallelepiped shaped boxes, each having one generally open face in the plane of one of the vertical sides of thebox;

a ventilating grille adapted to be installed on the open face of said second'box;

said first box being dimensioned to contain a recessed drinking water fountain basin having an open face for access;

said second box being dimensioned to contain a refrigerating system for said water cooler;

said second box being of slightly greater width than said first .box so that said first box can be accommodated therein in generally nested relation for shipping and handling; said second box being of lesser depth in a front-torear direction than said first box so that at least the front or the rear side of said second box will be offset relative to the front or rear side of said first box;

means for securing said boxes in stacked relation with said first box above said second box, and in one disposition with their open faces generally aligned, and in a reversed disposition with their open faces on opposite sides, so that said ventilating grille may be installed, in accordance with the particular arrangement to be attained, on the same side as the access to said basin or on the opposite side. 

1. A water cooler and wall box construction therefor comprising: first and second generally right parallelepiped shaped boxes, each having one generally open face in the plane of one of the vertical sides of the box; a ventilating grille adapted to be installed on the open face of said second box; said first box being dimensioned to contain a recessed drinking water fountain basin having an open face for access; said second box being dimensioned to contain a refrigerating system for said water cooler; means for securing said boxes in stacked relation, in one disposition with their open faces generally aligned, and in a reversed disposition with their open faces on opposite sides, so that said ventilating grille may be installed, in accordance with the particular arrangement to be attained, on the same side as said access to the basin or on the opposite side.
 2. A construction according to claim 1 wherein: one of said boxes is of greater width than the other so that said other box can be accommodated therein in generally nested relation for shipping and handling.
 3. A construction according to claim 1 wherein: said means for securing said boxes includes a series of apertures for fasteners in the lower marginal edge portion of said first box, and in the upper marginal edge portion of said second box; said series of apertures being arranged so that some are in registry with each other both when said boxes are in said one disposition, and when said boxes are in said reversed disposition.
 4. A construction according to claim 3 wherein: said second box is of lesser depth from front-to-rear than said first box so that when said second box is in said reversed disposition with said second box open face aligned with the side of said first box opposite said first box open face, the side of said second box opposite its open face is offset inwardly into the building wall relative to the open face of said first box.
 5. A construction according to claim 4 wherein: said series of apertures includes four apertures in said marginal portion of each of the sides of one of said boxes, and two apertures in said marginal edge portion of each of the sides of the other of said boxes, said apertures being arranged so that two of said apertures are in registry on each side in each of three alternate positions of said boxes, viz, when the open faces of said boxes are aligned, when the open face of the second box is aligned with the side opposite the open face of said first box, and when the open face of said second box is offset outwardly beyond the side of first box opposite the open face of the first box.
 6. A water cooler and wall box construction therefor comprising: first and second generally right parallelepiped shaped boxes, each having one generally open face in the plane of one of the vertical sides of the box; a ventilating grille adapted to be installed on the open face of said second box; said first box being dimensioned to contain a recessed drinking water fountain basin having an open face for access; said second box being dimensioned to contain a refrigeratiNg system for said water cooler; said second box being of slightly greater width than said first box so that said first box can be accommodated therein in generally nested relation for shipping and handling; said second box being of lesser depth in a front-to-rear direction than said first box so that at least the front or the rear side of said second box will be offset relative to the front or rear side of said first box; means for securing said boxes in stacked relation with said first box above said second box, and in one disposition with their open faces generally aligned, and in a reversed disposition with their open faces on opposite sides, so that said ventilating grille may be installed, in accordance with the particular arrangement to be attained, on the same side as the access to said basin or on the opposite side. 